NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – An award-winning U.S. screenwriter has swapped fiction for fact, donating medical supplies from the set of his hit Netflix series to a New York hospital in a bid to combat the coronavirus. Ryan Murphy, known for creating... More »
(Reuters) – The NBA may have been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak but that has not stopped the league from using its massive online reach to good effect by educating its followers, sharing important information and guidelines related to the pandemic.... More »
MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo said on Sunday he had tested positive for coronavirus and had gone into self isolation with his family. “We are currently all in good health but I developed a cough and a fever and decided to get tested, ... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Members of the Bagby family have operated movie theaters in small U.S. towns for four generations. With the coronavirus outbreak forcing their 400 screens to go dark indefinitely, some of them worry that run could come to an end. The fa... More »
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s health ministry late on Sunday rejected media reports that the country had registered its first coronavirus death, saying that the person reported to have died, businessman Jose Kuri, was alive but in critical condition. Earlie... More »
BERLIN (Reuters) – Bans on mass gatherings introduced to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic might have been expected to deal a death blow to musical life, but have instead prompted a boom in free online concerts. One musician to step up to the plate i... More »
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The filming in Mexico of a big budget Steven Spielberg-produced Amazon mini-series, starring Spanish actor Javier Bardem, has been suspended due to concerns about the coronavirus, according to a letter sent to cast and crew on Friday an... More »
WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A bipartisan group of U.S. senators on the powerful judiciary committee on Thursday introduced a bill aimed at curbing online distribution of child sexual abuse material that technology and civil liberties groups said was a... More »
BERLIN (Reuters) – A drama film shot in secret to evade government censorship that highlights the moral dilemmas faced by those caught in the web of Iran’s capital punishment machine won the Berlin Film Festival’s Golden Bear award on Saturday. “There Is No Ev... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – Roman Polanski cast a shadow over France’s Cesar Awards on Friday even as he won best directing for his film “An Officer and a Spy,” with several women in the audience walking out in protest at honoring a man facing rape accusations. The Fren... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – Roman Polanski, who faces accusations of rape, won France’s Cesar Award for best directing for his film “An Officer and a Spy” on Friday, prompting several actresses to walk out of the ceremony in protest. Polanski was not at the event, the b... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Filming of Netflix Inc’s big-budget Dwayne Johnson movie “Red Notice” had been scheduled to move to Italy in the coming weeks, but producers now are exploring other locations due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country, a source clos... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – Roman Polanski’s film “An Officer and a Spy” collected its first Cesar Award out of 12 nominations on Friday, scooping the prize for best costume designer. Pascaline Chavanne was not at the event to collect her trophy after the entire cast an... More »
BERLIN (Reuters) – Making films in a bitterly divided Brazil that is increasingly hostile to artistic freedom is an act of resistance in itself, the maker of a new drama about race relations in the years after the country abolished slavery said. Speaking ahead... More »
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – U.S. satellite broadband provider Hughes Network Systems may have to shut its Indian operations due to unpaid levies owed to the government, which could put thousands of banking services at risk, a company letter seen by Reuters showed. I... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Hundreds of people including Roger Waters, co-founder of the Pink Floyd rock group, and designer Vivienne Westwood, marched through central London on Saturday demanding that jailed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange be released. A London court... More »
(Reuters) – Twitter Inc said on Thursday that it was testing a new community moderation approach that would enable users to identify misleading information posted by politicians and public figures and add brightly colored labels under those tweets. NBC News ea... More »
(Reuters) – British nanotechnology company Nanoco said on Monday it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co and affiliates in a district court in Texas relating to quantum dots. Nanoco, which produces quantum dots that are used t... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Democratic presidential candidates said on Sunday billionaire Michael Bloomberg should face the same rigorous scrutiny as his rivals and they would welcome the chance to square off with him in a 2020 presidential debate. Bloomberg, ... More »
(Reuters) – Singer R. Kelly, already facing trial in three states on sexual abuse, child pornography, kidnapping and obstruction of justice charges, has been hit with an updated indictment in Chicago stemming from a newly-identified victim, court documents sho... More »
KABUL (Reuters) – After a busy afternoon walking the catwalk in a luxury hotel in Kabul on Friday, Salma Hussaini was named Afghanistan’s first “Ms Valentine”. The 20-year-old from Bamiyan province took a final walk down the runway clad in a pink and yellow to... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – David Hockney’s Los Angeles pool painting “The Splash” fetched 23.1 million pounds ($29.9 million) at a sale on London on Tuesday, auctioneers Sotheby’s said, compared with a pre-sale estimate of 20 to 30 million pounds. The 1966 work is a s... More »
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean social media erupted in celebration on Monday after the dark comedy “Parasite” became the first non-English language movie to win the Best Picture award, already having netted three other Oscars in a historic first for the countr... More »
(Reuters) – Twitter Inc has banned financial market website Zero Hedge from the social media platform after it published an article linking a Chinese scientist to the outbreak of the fast-spreading coronavirus last week. Zero Hedge said it received a notificat... More »
(Reuters) – British actress Imelda Staunton will play an older Queen Elizabeth in the final season of award-winning television series “The Crown,” the show’s creator said on Friday. The Netflix series about the British royal family will end after five seasons ... More »
(Reuters) – Actor and comedian Adam Sandler has reached a deal with Netflix Inc to make four new movies for the global streaming service, the company said on Friday. Sandler, a former “Saturday Night Live” cast member who built a career on movies such as “Grow... More »
MIAMI (Reuters) – Kobe Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash has reminded everyone how fragile life is, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira said on Thursday, and the pop superstars plan to use their Super Bowl halftime show to convey that message. “Life is so fragile an... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – An actress-turned-costume designer told jurors in the Weinstein rape trial on Wednesday the former Hollywood producer promised her a movie deal if she had three-way sex with him and his assistant. The designer, Dawn Dunning, and another ac... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Musicians and performers at the Grammy Awards paid tribute to Kobe Bryant on Sunday at his former home arena, the Staples Center in Los Angeles, hours after the NBA great was killed some 40 miles (65 km) away in a helicopter crash. Brya... More »
(Reuters) – U.S. presidential contender Michael Bloomberg pledged on Sunday to “always have Israel’s back,” while separately joking he was the only Jewish candidate who does not want to turn the United States into a “kibbutz.” The joke, made during a speech on... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Actor Johnny Depp and musician Alice Cooper joined Aerosmith on Friday at a gala dinner and performance in Los Angeles to celebrate the band’s 50-year career as one of the best-selling American hard rock bands of all times. Cooper and D... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department is planning to hold a conference to discuss the future of a federal law which largely exempts online platforms from legal liability for the material their users post, sources familiar with the plans said on Fr... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – French telecoms and media group Iliad formally launched on Monday its previously announced plan for a 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion) capital increase, which will be used to finance a share buyback offer. Iliad, which runs the Free telecoms ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – As the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division departed for the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran, their divisional commander gave a simple order. All personnel entering the region were told to leave smartphones a... More »
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Bolivia´s exiled former president Evo Morales on Sunday defended a call he made for the formation of armed groups, a recording of which was leaked on public radio. Speaking exclusively to Reuters on Sunday night in Argentina where he i... More »
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – One of China’s longest-running and largest independent film festivals has suspended operations “indefinitely”, with the organizers saying it was now “impossible” to organize a festival with a “purely independent spirit”. The China Independ... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – When Donna Rotunno agreed to represent former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein as lead defense attorney in his New York rape trial, she believed that her gender could prove to be an asset in the courtroom. Rotunno took the case in June ... More »
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Online gay communities in China are lauding e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd for releasing a subtle ad that appears to feature a gay couple returning home for the Lunar New Year. In the 20-second spot, a young man enters his home... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s markets watchdog proposed on Thursday a single interest rate for cash savings products, a move it says would bump up interest payments to consumers by 260 million pounds ($340.96 million) a year. The Financial Conduct Authority (FC... More »
(Reuters) – Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) said on Wednesday it will test new features early this year that would allow users to control who can reply to their tweets, as it looks to limit abuse and harassment on the platform. Social media firms are under pressure to ad... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Facebook Inc on Wednesday said it would remove “deepfake” and other manipulated videos from its website to combat the spread of false information ahead of the 2020 presidential race, but lawmakers said those and other changes it has rece... More »
MUMBAI (Reuters) – A top Indian actress who joined students protesting against the government drew calls on social media on Wednesday for a boycott of her upcoming film, as well as praise for being a rare Bollywood A-lister to stand up against a crackdown on d... More »
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Weeks after U.S. authorities brought a spying case against three Saudi nationals for digging up dissidents’ personal data at Twitter, the company suspended tens of thousands of accounts that appear to be linked to one suspect’s compan... More »
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopia launched its first satellite into space on Friday, as more sub-Saharan African nations strive to develop space programs to advance their development goals and encourage scientific innovation. Before dawn on Friday, senior offic... More »
(Reuters) – Apple Inc (AAPL.O) executives met James Bond franchise-owner MGM Holdings Inc and the collegiate athletic conference Pac-12 earlier this year as part of its efforts to boost the Apple TV service, the Wall Street Journal reported on.wsj.com/2PEGhH7 ... More »
BERLIN (Reuters) – Adidas will start selling a new collection designed with singer Beyonce on Jan. 18 in a relaunch of her Ivy Park brand that includes shoes, clothes and accessories, mostly in maroon, orange and cream. Adidas described the collection, which f... More »
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – At first glance the works of Singaporean artist Qixuan Lim have a familiar, edible appearance. But upon a closer look at the sardine tin – and it’s packed with tiny human hearts made of clay, cherubic arms and legs or other human body par... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) will launch its Disney+ streaming service on Vivendi SA’s (VIV.PA) pay-TV business Canal+ platform by the end of March next year, executives of the two groups said in a joint interview released in the daily Les Echos on... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – Danish-born actress Anna Karina, one of the most acclaimed luminaries of influential French New Wave cinema, has died of cancer at age 79, her agent said on Sunday. Karina, famous for her kohl-rimmed blue eyes, was the frequent muse of direct... More »
(Reuters) – U.S. Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg released the names of his major fundraisers on Friday, bowing to growing pressure from rival Elizabeth Warren and U.S. journalists to be more transparent in his campaign. The list of 113 people ... More »
SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) – A unit of ByteDance, the owner of video-sharing platform TikTok, has established a joint venture with a Chinese state media group, official registration documents showed. “The joint venture will focus on partnership in the digital ... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The chair of a U.S. congressional panel wrote to Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) Google and to Apple (AAPL.O) on Friday to ask what if any disclosures mobile apps are required to make regarding overseas ties, a concern that follows reports of Chine... More »
(Reuters Health) – Adolescents who are active on social media may be more likely to exercise excessively, skip meals or develop other forms of disordered eating, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers surveyed 996 seventh- and eighth-graders, age 13 on average, ab... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – “Bombshell” tells the story of how sexual harassment accusations brought down the powerful creator of Fox News, but rather than taking a broad brush to paint the cable network chief, the film shows him as both menace and mentor to women... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – BlackRock Investment Institute said on Tuesday it was cautiously rotating into cyclical assets, Japanese equities and emerging markets. “We are modestly positive on risk assets,” said Scott Thiel, chief fixed income strategist for BlackRock ... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Tesla Inc boss Elon Musk emerged victorious on Friday from a closely watched defamation trial as a federal court jury swiftly rejected the $190 million claim brought against him by a British cave explorer who Musk had branded a “pedo gu... More »
((This December 6 story is refiled to fix typo in quote in paragraph nine)) By Tom Hals (Reuters) – Elon Musk’s daring has left its mark on electric cars and rockets, and now experts say the entrepreneur may have reshaped U.S. defamation law with his willingne... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has at times failed to wear a required electronic tracking device, New York prosecutors said Friday, asking a judge to increase his bail to $5 million, from $1 million, as he awaits trial on sexual assau... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A U.S. District Court jury in Los Angeles on Friday found in favor of Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) boss Elon Musk in the defamation lawsuit brought against him by a British cave explorer who Musk had branded a “pedo guy” on Twitter. The verdict w... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will on Monday honor the two people who were killed when a militant knife man went on a stabbing spree near London Bridge in an attack that has thrust criminal justice to the center of the election campaign. Jack Merritt, 25, and Sas... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – From the world’s youngest self-made billionaire to celebrities in court, the world of entertainment produced a wide array of headlines this year. Below are some of the biggest showbiz stories of 2019. * The year began with rap making history... More »
(Reuters Health) – Teens and young women who use diet pills and laxatives for weight control are five to six times more likely to be diagnosed with an eating disorder in the next three years, a U.S. study suggests. Using these medications for weight loss can b... More »
SEOUL (Reuters) – The apparent suicide of a second K-pop artist in a month has cast renewed focus in South Korea on vicious personal attacks and cyber bullying of vulnerable young stars, and how it mostly goes unpunished. The police consider cyber violence a s... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – The Pussycat Dolls are reforming for a reunion tour kicking off in Dublin next year, the American girl band said on Thursday. A decade after they split, the group – originally formed as a burlesque dance troupe and known for songs like “Don’... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A New York judge has denied Harvey Weinstein’s request to dismiss two predatory sexual assault charges, ahead of the former Hollywood producer’s trial in January. The decision released on Wednesday by Justice James Burke of the State Supre... More »
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore political figure Brad Bowyer on Monday corrected a Facebook post questioning the independence of state investment firms following a government request, in the first use of the country’s new “fake news” law. Bowyer used “false an... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Bloomberg News said on Sunday it will not investigate its founder and former New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg, after he launched his candidacy for the Democratic primaries, continuing a policy of limiting coverage of its top executive. Bl... More »
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s telecoms regulator on Sunday delayed a tender for fifth-generation (5G) cellular frequencies after mobile companies asked for more time. The Communications Ministry in July published the tender in the hope that discounts to cash-... More »
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri on Saturday warned regional countries of consequences if it is proven that they meddled to stoke recent unrest in Iran. “Some countries in the region should know that they will not have an easy life in t... More »
(Reuters) – U.S. Army cadets were this week instructed not to use China-owned social media app TikTok while representing the military, an Army spokeswoman said on Friday, amid concerns over the app’s handling of user data. The directive comes after Chuck Schum... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – Few aspects of life escape the touch of high tech in cutting-edge Japan, including an official song written to welcome Pope Francis when he visits Japan from Saturday. Written by Jun Inoue, the song, “Protect all Life – The Signs of the Times... More »
DAKAR (Reuters) – To capture the harsh reality of life in Senegal, film director Mati Diop chose young people she met at building sites, bars and in Dakar’s poorer suburbs as the stars of ‘Atlantics’, a ghost story about migrants and those they leave behind. T... More »
SEOUL (Reuters) – The creator of the children’s song “Baby Shark,” which has become a global phenomenon, says the firm is eyeing the Chinese market, where the tune did not quite catch on, with a brand new character featuring dinosaurs. The popular song about a... More »
(Reuters) – Could “Friends” be getting back together, if only for a one night stand? The Hollywood Reporter and Variety on Tuesday reported that preliminary talks were underway for an unscripted reunion special that would feature all six “Friends” actors and a... More »
(Reuters) – Public impeachment hearings for U.S. President Donald Trump next week will mark a historical moment in political television both because of the high stakes and how people will watch the proceedings. The public inquiry into the Ukraine scandal will ... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – British rocker Pete Doherty has been arrested in Paris for buying drugs, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Friday. Doherty, 40, shot to fame as singer for the Libertines in the 2000s and gained a bad boy public image over drugs and run-in... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Clothes, furniture and music awards belonging to Keith Flint, the late frontman of the Prodigy, have sold for nearly $450,000 at auction, eight months after the 49-year-old singer was found dead at his home. From body jewelry to shoes, some ... More »
ANTWERP (Reuters) – The famous bellows of “Order!” by former British parliamentary Speaker John Bercow have shimmied their way out of Westminster and into a dance remix gone viral at the hands of Belgian dance musician Michael Schack. “John Bercow is probably ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – A Banksy mural, covered up by builders’ hoarding and scaffolding for the past few months, will be uncovered on Monday in the heart of London’s Notting Hill area. The work – known variously as the Graffiti Painter, The Painter or Velazquez – ... More »
DUBAI (Reuters) – Thousands of Iranians chanted “Death to America” near the old U.S. embassy on Monday, the 40th anniversary on the seizure of the mission, with the country’s army chief comparing the United States with a poisonous scorpion intent on harming Ir... More »
NEW YORK/BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. government has launched a national security review of TikTok owner Beijing ByteDance Technology Co’s $1 billion acquisition of U.S. social media app Musical.ly, according to three people familiar with the matter... More »
BEIJING (Reuters) – Short video-sharing app TikTok has become the latest Chinese firm caught in U.S. regulatory crossfire, with Washington launching a national security review of its $1 billion acquisition of U.S. social media app Musical.ly. The review of Tik... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. official whose whistleblower complaint led to the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump offered to communicate directly with Republicans on the intelligence committee leading the inquiry, his lawyers said on Sunday.... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Apple TV+, the iPhone maker’s entry into the crowded streaming TV market, debuts on Friday as the first “all-original” subscription video service, according to Apple Inc (AAPL.O) Chief Executive Tim Cook. All of the programming is origi... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Apple Inc (AAPL.O) unveils its streaming entertainment service, Apple TV+, in more than 100 markets on Friday. The offering will be free for a year for anyone who buys any new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch. The cost for othe... More »
(Reuters) – AT&T Inc on Monday unveiled a three-year strategic plan that included selling up to $10 billion worth of businesses next year, paying off all its debt from the purchase of Time Warner and adding two new board members, bowing to pressure from activi... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Fugitive Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi died “whimpering and crying” in a raid by U.S. special forces in northwest Syria, President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, fulfilling what he called his top national security goal. Ba... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – For President Donald Trump, the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is a signature achievement that may help quell growing criticism from his own ranks, but it is unlikely to offer much relief from Democratic-led scrutiny ... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Monday he wanted “innovative” ministers in his cabinet for a second term, as the co-founder of tech startup Gojek said he would join and a former chairman of Inter Milan soccer club was tipped for a ... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Gojek CEO and co-founder Nadiem Makarim said on Monday he had resigned to join Indonesia’s cabinet, and the ride-hailing and payments company said two senior officials would jointly take over running operations of the $10 billion firm. Pres... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Apple Inc is jumping into the streaming video wars with a series that explores accusations of sexual misconduct at a fictional morning television news show, a story that tackles issues brought to life over the past two years of the #MeT... More »
(Reuters) – An ugly war of words broke out among Democrats on Friday, as Representative Tulsi Gabbard responded angrily to broad hints by Hillary Clinton, the party’s 2016 presidential nominee, that Gabbard was being “groomed” to disrupt the 2020 election as a... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry will not turn over documents to congressional Democrats who had subpoenaed them over his role in Ukraine as part of their impeachment probe into President Donald Trump, a department official said in a let... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – British street artist Banksy is selling a Union Jack stab vest, riot helmet ‘disco balls’ and a ‘designer handbag’ made from a brick to randomly selected buyers who can answer the question: “Why does art matter?”. The works are offered in th... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – AT&T (T.N) and Elliott Management are talking about issues the activist hedge fund raised last month when it pushed for change at the U.S. telecommunications and media conglomerate, two people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Ell... More »
(Reuters) – Legendary Cuban ballerina Alicia Alonso, who achieved global acclaim in the 1940s and went on to run the internationally renowned National Ballet of Cuba for decades, died on Thursday at age 98, state-run media said. “Alicia Alonso has gone and lef... More »
(Reuters) – HBO Max, the forthcoming streaming service from AT&T Inc’s WarnerMedia, will screen films from Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation producer behind the Academy Award-winning movie “Spirited Away”. This is the first time a streaming provider has ob... More »
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI (Reuters) – India is deliberating potential censorship on streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, a senior government source told Reuters. While film and TV certification bodies already moderate public content in India, the... More »
(Reuters) – Streaming video leader Netflix Inc is planning to release around 62 new original productions, including films, series, documentaries, and comedy specials, from October to December as it braces for the debut of rival services from Apple Inc and Walt... More »
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – The Swedish Academy has defended its decision to award the 2019 Nobel Prize for Literature to Austrian writer Peter Handke, saying he had made provocative comments but had not supported bloodshed. Handke’s prize has attracted criticism, i... More »
